Former Test cricketer Chris Broad believes the decision of England’s players to resume their tour of India is “important for world cricket”.

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Sunday that their players would return to the sub-continent after being given security assurances in the wake of the recent terrorist atrocities in Mumbai.

“I think it’s a terrific decision for cricket in general,” Broad, whose son Stuart is a member of the England squad, told BBC Radio Five Live.

“Obviously it’s a tough one for the England players to have made, and the Indian players, of course, because they are also under some kind of threat, but I think it’s a terrific decision.

“I think this tour is important for world cricket.

“Over 70% of funds for international cricket come from the Indian sub-continent, so clearly there is a monetary issue there, but it’s huge for the game of cricket that India is not isolated.”

The tour was halted after five matches of the scheduled seven-game one-day international series with the hosts leading 5-0.

The England squad returned home before flying out to Abu Dhabi for practice while they waited for a full security update from security advisor Reg Dickason, and Broad believes the players can have confidence in the guarantees they have been given.

“They have to have great strength in what the security advice was that they received from Hugh Morris [managing director England cricket] and take that on board,” he continued.

“I think it wouldn’t be given unless it was almost a guarantee that there wasn’t going to be anything. So I think they can focus solely on playing cricket now.”